Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist 📚 4 Book Reviews

[@novelideea]

📚we’re about to go on a trip too (for work though)☺️ “This is why I was crying, it wasn’t because of squash” 🤣 You and Alice both took a big breath and pause before diving in to talk about Hangman! 😂 My friend absolutely loves the first bk in the Karen Lord trilogy- it might be her favorite book ever.

[@hasteyebooks]

You bringing any books along? I don't think I've broken my bad habit of not reading on holiday haha but it was a step forward! Hangman was a lot! 😆 Oooh that's giving me hope for Karen Lord, I miiiiight give it a try one day...

[@novelideea]

@@hasteyebooks of course I’m bringing books ! 😂😂

[@Nixreads]

Hangman is giving me the same vibes as Pod - your reaction to it is so interesting that I feel intrigued 😂 I love your series of candid reviews on the Prize!!

[@hasteyebooks]

haha Hangman seems to have divided people a lot! Some didn't like the start but loved it later on, while it intrigued me from the start and then fizzled out and annoyed me. Only book I wished I didn't read!

[@PageTurnersWithKatja]

Agree on Ordinary Human Failings, not read the others. Great summing up 💛.

[@hasteyebooks]

Thanks so much!

[@CharlieBrookReads]

Loved Soldier Sailor too!! I enjoy it when the book title gets mentioned within the pages😂 Each to their own though 😂 Great to hear your thoughts lovely ❤

[@hasteyebooks]

haha nooo I love it too! But twice by two different characters? I was like, nope that's not likely 😆

[@AliceandtheGiantBookshelf]

Yay! Another reader who loved Western Lane. It’s still up near the top for me as well, such a lovely book. I’m such a suspicious reader, which is why I think I saw what was happening in Hangman so quickly (at which point I thought I hope it’s not that) and was so angry with it at the end. What a weird book. A couple of weeks on, I still don’t know what I think. I had to DNF Blue Beautiful World because I just couldn’t be bothered any more. I just think it shouldn’t be on the list, I’m tempted to try the previous two books but also I can’t be bothered. Too random. I just recently finished Ordinary Human Feelings too, and I found it very depressing, everyone’s story in it was so sad. I also read it in a day or two. I’m enjoying these videos so much, you are getting through the list so well!

[@hasteyebooks]

I know I think we're the only 2 who love it! And oh Hangman...yeah I need to go check out your review because I have a lot of thoughts. I can see why people aren't bothered by The Blue, Beautiful World, and I agree it shouldn't have been on the list. Ordinary Human Failings was pure Irish depressing literature, but at least done in an engaging/easy to read way lol

[@YourTrueShelf]

I'm loving these videos, I'm finding them so helpful! You're the first person who has made me interested in reading western lane 😊 I'm still on my 5th book. I might get 6/7 done by the shortlist announcement, or I might just wait and see what's on there. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you make of brotherless night.

[@hasteyebooks]

So lovely to hear! haha yeah I haven't actually seen a lot of love for Western Lane since I picked it up, but I thought it was quiet and full of feelings! What's your favourite one after 5?

[@YourTrueShelf]

I would say brotherless night, closely followed by Nightbloom. These are the only two shortlist worthy so far. I've also read the maiden, Dolly maunder and the wren the wren.

[@hasteyebooks]

@@YourTrueShelf Ooooh interesting! Everyone has me so hyped for Brotherless Night!

[@miriamtraynor936]

Soldier, Sailor my favourite then Brotherless Night . Western Lane & The Maiden were good but didn’t blow me away

[@hasteyebooks]

Oooh excited for Brotherless Night now :D

[@scallydandlingaboutthebooks]

I don't think "ordinary human failings" is a common saying. Soldier Sailor and Western Lane are favourites for me too. The Wren was so well written but I didn't absolutely love it.

[@hasteyebooks]

Thanks Ros for confirming! It's just strange that she went a bit heavy handed with having different characters say the same line haha So happy to hear Soldier Sailor and Western Lane were favourites! They are quieter than a lot of the other books, but so impactful!

[@booksandbags]

I think I’m one of the few who liked Hangman. It was so different and the more I think back, the more like it. I didn’t care for The Maiden and Western Lane was just okay for me.

[@hasteyebooks]

Aw that's so interesting! I can see why some people would like it - it sits in the mind if you want it to. I don't know why The Maiden was on this list, and I'm a bit surprised that so many people like it haha

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

Ordinary Human Failings will be read differently by Irish readers of my generation. I’m 60. Being in London in the 80s was very difficult. We were all labelled terrorists. It didn’t matter why you were there ( work or study usually) your accent made you suspicious. My best reads of the long list Brotherless Night Solider Sailor Enter Ghost Ordinary Human Failings The Wren The Wren

[@hasteyebooks]

Ah that's so interesting - I didn't realise it was such a thing! So sad and bizarre!! And you're making me excited for Brotherless Night!

[@miriamtraynor936]

I found Ordinary Human Failings easy to read but their back story so depressing.

[@hasteyebooks]

Omg so depressing!